Sarcosine in prostate cancer tissue is not a differential metabolite for prostate cancer aggressiveness and biochemical progression

J Urol. 2011 Feb;185(2):706-11. doi: 10.1016/j.juro.2010.09.077. Epub 2010 Dec 18.

Abstract

Purpose: Sarcosine in prostate cancer tissue samples was recently reported to be increased during prostate cancer progression to metastasis and suggested to be a key metabolite of cancer cell invasion and aggressiveness. We reevaluated sarcosine in prostate cancer tissue samples as a potential indicator of tumor aggressiveness, and as a predictor of recurrence-free survival.

Materials and methods: Sarcosine in matched samples of malignant and nonmalignant tissue from 92 patients with prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy was measured in the framework of a global metabolite profiling study of prostate cancer by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. We related results to age, prostate volume, tumor stage, Gleason score, preoperative prostate specific antigen and biochemical recurrence, defined as a persistent prostate specific antigen increase of greater than 0.2 ng/ml. Nonparametric statistical tests, ROC curves and Kaplan-Meier analyses were done.

Results: Median sarcosine content in tissue was about 7% higher in matched malignant vs nonmalignant samples, which was significantly. Sarcosine values were not associated with tumor stage (pT2 vs pT3), tumor grade (Gleason score less than 7 vs 7 or greater) or biochemical recurrence. The lack of metastatic tissue samples was a study limitation.

Conclusions: Sarcosine in prostate cancer tissue samples cannot be considered a suitable predictor of tumor aggressiveness or biochemical recurrence.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / metabolism*
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / urine
  • Biopsy, Needle
  • Cohort Studies
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Disease Progression
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Humans
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / mortality
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / pathology*
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / physiopathology
  • Postoperative Care / methods
  • Preoperative Care
  • Prognosis
  • Proportional Hazards Models
  • Prostate-Specific Antigen / blood
  • Prostatectomy / methods
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / mortality
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / physiopathology
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / surgery*
  • ROC Curve
  • Reference Values
  • Sarcosine / metabolism*
  • Sarcosine / urine
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Survival Analysis

Substances

  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Prostate-Specific Antigen
  • Sarcosine